Flyers' top pick Morin compares himself to Pronger

By Tony Piscotta, For The Trentonian

Monday, July 1, 2013

NEWARK — Samuel Morin is nothing if not a quick learner.

The big defenseman, the Flyers’ first-round pick with the 11th overall selection in the 2013 NHL Draftat Prudential Center mentioned two of his favorite players growing up being Chris Pronger and Sidney Crosby.

He quickly amended that list to the assembled media — sticking with the former Flyer captain while dropping the Penguins superstar scorer from the list.

Morin, who won a gold medal with Canada’s national team at the 2013 U18 World Junior Championship, is a throwback-type defenseman whose mean steak would have fit right in with the fabled Broad Street Bullies.

Despite missing almost a month with a broken collarbone, Morin led the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Rimouski Oceanic with 117 penalty minutes in 46 games while scoring four goals with 12 assists.

“I like Chris Pronger but I’m Sam Morin,” he said, when asked about the comparison. “I will play my game but he was a great player in the NHL. I don’t know if I can be like him, but I will try to be a very good player.”

Pronger, while admitting that any young player coming out of junior hockey has things to improve, sees some potential in the young rearguard.

“(He’s) a big man that plays tough and mean and can move,” Pronger said. “Obviously there’s a still a lot (for him) to work on as with most players but the maturation process of where he was at the beginning of the year to where he’s been trending, it intrigued a lot of the scouts and a lot of people that’ve been watching him.

“I think recognizing that quick first pass, puck skills, handling the puck, those are all things young kids always need to work on. Especially when you’re that big.”

To his credit, Morin has already begun refining his game.

“When I got to Rimouski they really worked on my skills,” Morin said. “When I got there my shot wasn’t very good but they worked with me and now I have the hardest shot on the team and one of the hardest shots in the league.”

Told that Morin said he patterned his game after Pronger, the one time Norris Trophy (top defenseman) and Hart Trophy (MVP) winner smiled.

“It’s always an honor when someone wants to emulate the way you play,” Pronger said. “I don’t think you want to compare yourself to anyone. You may take little traits and things from players. He’s going to be his own player and create his own image.”

One knock some scouts had about Morin’s game going into the draft was his offensive game — which some felt was the reason he was ranked 23rd amongst North American skaters going into the draft in Central Scouting’s rankings.

After returning from his injury, Morin scored one goal with six assists in Rimouski’s six-game playoff series with Gatineau.

“I don’t think you’re going to have a powerplay quarterback but we’ll work hard on quick first pass, transition game,” Pronger said. “All those things aren’t considered offense, but they’re pretty important to your game and getting on the offense.”

And more importantly, Morin relishes the history of the Flyers and their style of play.

“There’s a great history with the organization. And right now guys like Claude Giroux, Max Talbot and Chris Pronger,” Morin said. “There’s a lot of great players. Tough players. They can score a goal and they can play a very hard game.”